Hey There....Inkspirational Challenge #138~Rural

Hello,

I'm on Day 5 of marking Diploma Exams.  Four more to go; no days off until we're done. No Canada Day celebrations for me.  Since my capacity to string together logical sentences after reading essay after essay after essay is virtually nil, we'll be quick....

Welcome to Inkspirational Challenge #138~Rural

My team and I are joined by wonderfully talented Elaine as our Guest Designer. Her card is stunning, as are those created by the awesome INK gals: Sandie, Kylie, Yvonne, Marina.

I'm going all minimalist rural...please say hello to my Paper Smooches cow...in a field of embossed flowers. Hopefully you can see that he..er, she...is nestled into the 'inside' of the card, through the aperture.  When it's opened (forgot to take an inside photo), the sentiment is*sMOOches*.   Tee hee.  My cow induces giggling...

Turning the stage over to you!  Looking forward to seeing your "Rural Renditions" in the gallery!

Also sharing at:

Cards In Envy~White on White Challenge

Addicted To CAS Challenge #114~White on White

JUST A NOTE:  With the marking, traveling and a host of other things happening, a kazillion apologies that I've again fallen light years behind in commenting on the wonderful creations of my amazing friends! Once I'm back home (on the 7th - my plan) and bit more settled (after next weekend's bike races and before a 10-day vacation with my husband...finally!), I'll start afresh.  I'll do my best to pop in when I can...but if not, please know your cards have been seen and adored...immensely!  As for leaving comments for me: thank you but...I understand if you don't.  Summer's a busy time for everyone!

 Thank you for dropping by; your visit is both welcomed and deeply appreciated!

Cupcakes and Presents...Happy 4th Birthday, STAMPlorations!

Hello,

Today, I'm thrilled to be joining wonderful Shery and her amazing DT for Day 3 of the STAMPlorations 4th Birthday Hop and Wishlist Linky Party. 

Four...can you believe it? Seems like only yesterday that Shery and her fabulous products first appeared on the crafting scene; it didn't take long for her unique stamps, dies, stencils, masks and colouring books to rock our card-making worlds. From a variety of challenges to play in, to fantastic DT inspiration on nearly a daily basis, to special occasion blog hops and linky parties, STAMPlorations has found its way into our collections and our hearts!

What did I bring to the party, you ask? Cupcakes and gifts! Today, I have four cards showcasing new dies - that are so awesome - paired with some favourite oldies. 

Gift Builder #1 - CUTplorations,  Nestled Circles ARTplorations Stencil, CRAZY DOUBLE RUNNING STITCH RECTANGLES - CUTplorations

Gift Builder #1 - CUTplorations,, TRIBAL WEAVE ARTplorations Stencil, CRAZY DOUBLE RUNNING STITCH RECTANGLES - CUTplorations

 Cupcake Builder #1 - CUTplorations, STAINED GLASS stencil, CRAZY DOUBLE RUNNING STITCH RECTANGLES - CUTplorations, Party Time

 Cupcake Builder #1 - CUTplorations, WEAVING stencil, CRAZY DOUBLE RUNNING STITCH RECTANGLES - CUTplorations, Party Time

Okay, you *need* to head over here for details on this fantastic x fabulous celebration! Need incentive to head there? How about this: "All in all, we are giving away over $200 worth of prizes!"

Go. Now.  I'm following right behind you *grin*

Could, Should, Would, DID!....FUSION Card Challenge~4th of July Jars

Hello,

June is just whizzing by, and with Canada Day (July 1st) and 4th of July (USA) right around the corner, I'm sure you'll find the new photo and sketch at FUSION Card Challenge~4th of July marvelously inspiring (yet again *grin*)!

Yes, I *should* have created a card to celebrate my country's 150th birthday, but alas, my stash is rather lacking in the 'national images' category.  I do, however, have stamps that speak to celebration in a general fashion, so that's where I headed! Concord & 9th's Above Average out to play, with a hybrid of both photo and sketch.

Of course, with the supplies out, a second happened; I just changed colours on the strike-through lines and moved the stars around.  I'm 100% sure these will wind up going to my niece and nephew...they're always accomplishing 'something'!

Please head over to see my team-mates' creations for marvelous inspirations; their cards are image gorgeous and sketch savvy!

Becca Cruger

Betty J
Carol Mayne (me)
Jeanne Jachna
Karren Johnson
Linda Callahan
Lyndal Higgins 
Michelle Leone

Michelle Lupton
Michelle Williams

Looking forward to seeing your designs in the FUSION gallery!

You Made My Day...Serendipity Stamps June Blog Hop #2

Hello,

Welcome to the Serendipity Stamps June Blog Hop #2, where once again you have an opportunity to some Serendipity Stamps simply by hopping along to the various DT's blogs and leaving a comment. A $20 gift certificate may come your way!  Before I share my cards, some updates:

• Making her second appearance as our Guest Designer is Ann Wong. I know you'll be as dazzled by her creations this time as you were the first!

• From Mary, our esteemed leader: "It is with a heavy heart that I am announcing that Karen Amidon is stepping down for the SSDT.   Life has gotten hectic for Karen and she has to make changes to find some balance.   We all know how that is!   Karen we will miss your beautiful creations – your attention to detail and design and your incredible coloring skill!   Our thoughts are will you Karen!

•  On a bright note – please welcome Beth Chiu to our team!   Beth is brand new the blog world (in fact she’s working on setting up her blog right now!) but her card making skills are without equal!   I’m sure you will all be wowed by her whimsical and bright designs!"

Welcome to the Serendipity Stamps family, Beth! 

Here's the hop list:

Serendipity Stamps Blog (where you'll meet Beth!)

Ann Wong

Patti Kehl

Carol Mayne (you are here)
Karen Amidon

Miriam Napier

Julie Warner

Marybeth Lopez

As you can see from my little dabble with collage, above, I've designed three little cards for those moments when you just want to let someone know they've 'made your day'.

A simple gesture can make all the difference, right?

Serendipity Products: 

You Made My Day

Solid Image Large Cling Stamp Set

Small Solid Image Cling Stamp Set

That's it from me!  Two tasks for you now:

Please head over to Serendipity Stamps Blog for more how-to-win details as well as for some scoops on sales. 

Hop, hop, hop! Next on the list is wonderfully talented Karen Amidon. Enjoy!

Thank you for dropping in today; your visit brings me joy! 

It's Your Day to Shine...Addicted to Stamps and More Challenge #247~Make Your Mark

Hello!

One hot day happening here; we do get those on occasion *grin*  I'm balancing outdoors for a bit with indoors for a bit...

In the event that you are indoors today, Addicted to Stamps and More Challenge #247 has new inspiration  to pique your interest AND to make this extra special:

IT'S ATSM's 5TH BIRTHDAY!!!!

What's a birthday without a celebration, right? So, bring out those pens, pencils, markers, paints...what-have-you.. to 'make your mark' because one lucky winner will receive, from our generous sponsor:

a $40 gift certificate to shop at Happy Little Stampers!

I decided to 'make my mark' for this celebration with yet another bout of 'attempting' water-colouring. Concord & 9th's Shine Brightly set called my name, especially since, of late, I'm just a wee bit succulent smitten and cacti charmed....

My terrarium light-bulb is layered on the panel, as are my watercolours, so off  we go to Where Creativity Meets C9 Challenge #9~Layered

Please be sure to visit the team; a whole lot of mark-making happening over there with different mediums and technique! Afterwards, create some dazzle of your own and join us in the gallery.  Remember: there's a fabulous prize to be had!

Thank you for dropping by; your visit is both welcomed and deeply appreciated!

Bold, Blue Watercolour Wonders Thank You...Inkspirational Challenge #137~Photo Inkspiration

Hello,

Welcome to Inkspirational Challenge #137~Photo Inspiration, with a home decor image that is bold, blue and beautiful! That splash of bright florals...oh my! Talk about a conversation piece!

Joining us this week, from Chesterfield, UK, is our wonderfully talented Guest Designer,

Linda

Her take on this photo is marvelous, as are those of my sweet teammates:

Sandie

Shauna

Nonni

Kylie

Marina 
Yvonne

As for me...I went with pretty much a good old fashioned literal translation, using Altenew Watercolour Wonders, stamped atop light blue cardstock.

Okay, turning the stage over to you!  What ideas does the photo spark for you?

Looking forward to seeing your creativity in the Inkspirational gallery!

Also sharing at:

The Flower Challenge #9~Anything Goes

Creatalicious Challlenges #117~Anything Goes

 Thank you for dropping by; your visit is both welcomed and deeply appreciated!

Thinking of You...CASology Challenge #252~Insect

Hello,

No way was I going to miss this week's CASology Challenge #252~Insect,

especially when some stunning Concord & 9th butterflies are in the house....

Thank you for dropping by; your visit brings me joy!

NOTE:  Honoured and thrilled to receive an Honourable Mention at CASology! Thank you, Jacquie!

Happy Birthday with Kobi...Cupcake Inspirations Challenge #411~Watercolour

Hello,

Welcome to Cupcake Inspirations Challenge #411, where we're enticing you with this lovely assortment of 'water-colour' delights for this week's theme: Watercolour.

Source

This week's lucky water-colour-winner will receive a $15 gift certificate (+free shipping within the USA) from out sponsor Inspired by Stamping.

Bet you can guess my initial response to this challenge...yep! Fear, anxiety, dread...however, I overcame 'some' of that when my recent win from Studio Katia (who, by the way, is located in my home city of Edmonton!) arrived this week. So thrilled and honoured to receive such a wonderful prize package that included stamps AND dies! Please welcome the debut of the newest member of my collection:  Kobi, the Birthday Bear.  Isn't he A-DOR-A-BLE???

Kobi, his cake, assortment of gifts, the wee bee (ACK!) and balloon were water-coloured with a combination of Tombow markers and distress inks.  The background stenciling, in real life, is light green (Twisted Citron), but it shows rather 'brown' here. I know my water-colouring doesn't do him justice; I tried, though! I really did!  I have more Kobi's stamped and we're going to do some exploring with pencils to see how that goes. Stay tuned...Kobi will be back...again and again *grin*

THANK YOU, Katia, for the gift of Kobi! He will receive plenty of TLC!

Please head over to Cupcake Inspirations to see my team-mates' watercolour wonders...

you'll be dazzled!
 Amy
Birgit
Carol
Debbie
EK
Jen
Naki
Wendy

Afterwards, design a card/project to share in the gallery! 

Looking forward to seeing you there!

Have a marvelous Sunday!

Also sharing at:

Allsorts Challenge #419~Use at least two Dies

Happy Little Stampers June 2017 Watercolour Challenge~Anything Goes

Seize the Birthday~Anything Goes

Thank you for dropping by; your visit brings me joy!

Peacock Special Day....AAA Cards CAS Game #91~The 3rd Big Birthday Bash, TIME OUT Challenge #85~Home Sweet Home

Hello,

I'm popping in today to wish Happy, Happy Birthday to AAA Challenges! As I'm mentioned many times: this is an awesome place to play, as the inspiration is fabulous and the welcomes always warm! 

AAA Cards CAS Game #91~The 3rd Big Birthday Bash

Inspiration for my birthday card comes from this gorgeous tropical paradise home decor image at TIME OUT Challenge #85~Home Sweet Home

A fusion of the plant/leaves, the hummingbird and the blue/green/yellow pillow at the top translated into this....

Wishing AAA Cards many, many, many more years of marvelous challenges!  Thank you for investing time, energy and creativity to make this space so special for us! And the same to the TIME OUT crew!  Such an amazing community, isn't it?

Thank you so much for dropping by; your visit brings me joy!

Smitten with Cross-Stitched Succulents...Curtain Call Inspiration Challenge~Succulents

Hello,

Oh my gosh! I've just played with my new Waffle Flower Stitched Succulents and they are the cutest little cacti EVER!  Look at those sweet images...and they even have a choice of three smiley faces you can add! GAH!

I'm bringing one over to Curtain Call Inspiration Challenge~Succulents.

This one is the second one I made and I tried to capture most of the colours from the inspiration photo. His cross-stitches are 'slightly' more lined up than the first card I made (please, don't do a close-up to verify this...yikes!)...

as you can see here!  Aren't they darling? I want to pinch their prickly little cheeks!  The images are a bit fiddly, but I don't mind that at all. I learned a few trick watching a video and, with practice, hope to improve and speed up.

Speaking of cross-stitch...this was one of my obsessions from years back. I have a number of completed pieces - mainly Noah's Ark images, as I was all over collecting Noah's Ark things back in the day - but card-making has seen few projects set aside for a very long time!  Recently, after listening to one of Suzy Moore's podcasts (she of So Suzy Stamps - and her podcasts are wonderfully entertaining and enlightening) about how to rekindle creativity (truth be told, my card-making mojo is running close to empty....), I decided to pick up one of my unfinished projects.  I started this back when my nephew was born...and he's already five! Yikes! Anyway, I've been trying to do some stitching here, stitching there...

The project 'should' look like this when I'm done: Noah's Ark Cross Stitch. As you can see, I have a long way to go!

AND I have another project that I picked up a couple weeks back in a nearby stitching shop that I'm soooo stoked to start! Check this out.....

 Photo Source

See:  I have allllll the threads - including some glow-in-the-dark ones that I've never used before - as well as a new way to hold the Aida cloth: a Q-Snap.  Apparently it's an advancement over the plastic/wood hoops. Who knew?

Anyway...I'm loving my cross-stitched stamp images (another set in my NBUS pile, too) and loving my cross-stitching.  Hopefully, my creativity will be sparked...or at least, the birth sampler for my nephew and the Halloween banner completed *grin*

Just to be clear: I'm still totally passionate about card-making...just need to travel different directions once in a while.

Thank you so much for dropping by; your visit brings me joy!